The Latest In Russian Home Decor: Woven Putins

Tens of thousands of anti-Kremlin demonstrators hit the streets across Russia on February 4 to protest alleged fraud in parliamentary elections late last year and Putin's domination of Russian politics. In the Siberian cities of Tomsk and Irkutsk, protesters marched carrying signs with antigovernment slogans and chanted "Russia without Putin." Activists addressed crowds saying Russia must get rid of corrupt politicians and end unfair elections.

Anti-Kremlin protesters came out in force on the streets of Moscow on February 4, in demonstrations that come a month before Prime Minister Vladimir Putin faces reelection to the presidency.

A song by a group of former Russian paratroopers has become an Internet sensation, receiving nearly 800,000 views on YouTube. The song claims that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has destroyed the armed forces. The paratroopers talked to RFE/RL's Russian Service and plan to perform at the February 4 antigovernment rally.

A Russian coffee chain is taking its own informal poll of who's most popular among the presidential candidates running in the upcoming election. Baristas are creating the candidates' portraits with cinnamon shaken over milk foam, then tallying which face is picked most often for customers' drinks. Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov and billionaire businessman Mikhail Prokhorov are apparently more popular than Vladimir Putin on customers' lattes. (AP narrated)

A new UN survey shows that many Afghans have doubts about their police officers’ capacity to take charge of security as NATO-led forces withdraw. RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan spoke to one police officer in Kabul about the challenges of the job. Produced by Muhammad Arif Ludin, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan; written by Farangis Najibullah

Croatians went to vote on January 22 on whether to join the European Union in 2013. Opinion polls suggest most Croatians will vote "Yes" to joining the EU. (Reuters video)

Orthodox Christians in Kazan participated in the annual tradition of swimming in the icy waters of Kaban Lake to mark Epiphany on January 19. (Video by RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service)

Police used pepper spray, water cannon, and tear gas on January 14 in clashes with Kosovar Albanian demonstrators at two border crossings with Serbia. The protesters are attempting to block Serbian goods from crossing the border.

Ahead of Orthodox and Eastern Rite Christmas on January 7, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service visited a living history museum in Kyiv to see what Christmas would have looked like for Cossacks some 400 years ago. Performers at Mamajeva Sloboda (Mamaj’s Village) demonstrate how to prepare kutya, a traditional Ukrainian Christmas dish.